UW researchers ID another member of Franklin Expedition

It’s a mystery that has captivated minds for nearly 180 years. Now, new research is revealing more information about the men who died as part of the Franklin Expedition in search of the Northwest Passage.

The HMS Terror and HMS Erebus departed England in 1845, looking for a shortcut to Asia across the Arctic Ocean – but the ill-fated mission never reached its destination.

The ships were trapped in the arctic ice, stranding some 129 sailors and officers near what is now known as King William Island, Nvt.

Despite their efforts to survive by any means necessary, including cannibalism, all the men died.

In the decades that have followed, other explorers have found dozens of remains but until recently, none of them could be properly identified.

A team of researchers from the University of Waterloo (UW) and Lakehead University in Thunder Bay have now identified a second sailor from the doomed expedition.

Thanks to DNA from a distant relative, along with genealogical analyses, the team has positively identified James Fitzjames, a sailor aboard the HMS Erebus.

It was this same team that identified the first sailor back in 2021, John Gregory, also crew member aboard the Erebus.

The team hopes this new discovery will encourage other family members of the Franklin crew to come forward and provide DNA samples, aiming to identify more of the sailors and uncover what happened to them after they abandoned their ships.